When your business retires old computers or servers, what happens to the hard drives inside them? If you’re simply wiping the drives or storing them in a drawer “just in case,” you could be exposing your company to serious security and compliance risks.
Below are five common myths about hard drive destruction—and the facts that every business should know.
Myth #1: “Wiping a hard drive is enough.”
FACT: Data wiping or reformatting may delete files at the surface level, but the underlying data can often still be recovered. Sophisticated recovery tools can retrieve sensitive information even after a drive has been erased.
For highly regulated industries like healthcare, finance, or legal services, hard drive destruction is the only way to guarantee compliance with data privacy laws like HIPAA and FACTA.
Myth #2: “We’ll keep the drives in storage—just in case.”
FACT: Storing old hard drives doesn’t eliminate risk—it just delays it. Drives sitting in closets, desk drawers, or storage rooms still contain sensitive information. If those devices are lost, stolen, or improperly disposed of later, your company could face legal consequences and reputational damage.
Myth #3: “We have a shredder in-house.”
FACT: Most in-house shredders are designed for paper—not hardened, high-density electronics. Hard drives require industrial-grade equipment specifically designed to crush or shred metal casings and platters.
Myth #4: “We’re a small business. No one would target us.”
FACT: Small and mid-sized businesses are often the most vulnerable to data breaches. Whether it’s a former employee, an opportunistic vendor, or a third-party contractor—many breaches stem from internal access, not outside hackers. Secure hard drive destruction ensures there’s no leftover data for anyone to misuse.
Myth #5: “There’s no real legal risk if we make a mistake.”
FACT: Several federal and state laws require businesses to properly dispose of data-containing media. These include:
- HIPAA
- FACTA
- NC Identity Theft Protection Act
DISCLAIMER: For security purposes, the image shown is not of work conducted by Shred South.
